Animal agriculture is not just a public health hazard for those that
consume meat. In fact, the single worst epidemic in recorded world history, the 1918 influenza pandemic, has been blamed on the livestock industry.[1]

In that case, the unnatural density and proximity of ducks and pigs raised
for slaughter probably led to the deaths of 20 to 40 million people across the world.[2] Since then, the raising of pigs and poultry has resulted in
millions more human deaths from the 1957-58 Asian flu, the 1968-69 Hongkong Paper #0062.

I am a vegan/vegetarian chef. Am looking for several kitchens to rent for my
cooking events/demonstrations in the Delaware Valley-SE Pennsylvania,
Southern Jersey, Northern Delaware-Wilmington area. Please forward any
information.

I also offering my wellness cooking classes to groups, businesses, and
organizations-churches, human resources and employee relations contacts (to
set up classes for employees), clubs, non profit fundraisers etc. I am also
offering small private (up to 12) cooking classes in people's homes (if
kitchens are suitable).. these are a great way to entertain your friends,
learn about healthy and tasty cooking and recipes, and donate some of the
profits to a cause...

SARS: Another Deadly Virus From the Meat Industry
by Michael Greger, M.D.
www.veganMD.org4/13/03

Animal agriculture is not just a public health hazard for those that
consume meat. In fact, the single worst epidemic in recorded world history,
the 1918 influenza pandemic, has been blamed on the livestock industry.[1]
In that case, the unnatural density and proximity of ducks and pigs raised
for slaughter probably led to the deaths of 20 to 40 million people across
the world.[2] Since then, the raising of pigs and poultry has resulted in
millions more human deaths from the 1957-58 Asian flu, the 1968-69 Hongkong
flu and the 1977 swine flu.[3] All of these influenza strains seem to have
arisen in the same region of southern China where intensive systems of
animal agriculture have become a breeding ground for new killer viruses.[4]

For centuries, the Guangdong province of China has had the world's
largest concentration of humans, pigs and fowl living in close proximity.[5]
In this environment, pigs can become co-infected with both human and avian
(bird) strains of influenza. When this happens, a deadly gene swapping can
take place, in which the lethality of viral strains rampant in the Chinese
poultry industry.[6] can combine which the human transmissibility of the
human strains to create new mutated flu viruses capable of infecting and
killing people on a global scale.[7]

Other viral threats besides influenza have also escaped from Southeast Asian
livestock operations. In 1999, a new virus, now known as the Nipah virus,
jumped from pigs to humans in Malaysia, infecting
pig breeders and killing about a hundred people before it was stamped
out.[8] In Southern Chinese province of Guangdong, battery chickens are
sometimes kept directly above pig pens, depositing their waste right into
the pigs' food troughs.[9] It may come no surprise, then, that Guangdong is
thought to have been ground zero for the deadly SARS virus as well.[10] The
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus is just the latest in a
string of human tragedies traced back to our appetite for animal flesh.

According to the World Health Organization, SARS, which has already
infected thousands worldwide, could become the "first severe new disease of
the 21st century with global epidemic potential."[11] And experts are again
blaming intensive animal agriculture.[12,13,14,15] According to China's
equivalent of the Centers for Disease Control, the first people to succumb
to the SARS virus were birdvendors and chefs, who had been in close and
continued contact with chickens, ducks and other birds.[16]

Scientists have identified SARS as a coronavirus, a class of viruses
well known to the livestock industry.[17] Coronaviruses are found in many
feedlot cattle who die of pneumonia and are responsible
for the respiratory disease known as shipping fever in cattle stressed by
transport.[18] There's currently a new mutant strain of coronavirus causing
outbreaks of a contagious pneumonia on pig farms in several countries.[19]
Preliminary work, though, suggests the SARS virus is more related to the one
that causes lung infections in chickens.[20]

The concentration of animals with the weakened immune systems in insanitary conditions seems inherent to factory farming. As intensive
livestock operations continue to spread worldwide, so will viral breeding
grounds.[21] Moving away from intensive animal agriculture and towards more
sustainable plant-based methods of production may benefit the health of the
planet and its inhabitants in more ways than we know.

The Animal Rights 2003 web site has been updated, and exhibit registration will open on April 16.
The updates include sponsoring organizations, speakers, and lodging and travel boards.

Dozens of people have already taken advantage of the current discounted rate. Don't be left out.
If you're still not sure whether you can make it,
it's actually cheaper to register now and get a refund, if you decide not to go.

Animal Rights 2003 East will be held between June 27 -
July 2 at the McLean (VA) Hilton (same place as the past three years),
just outside the nation's capital. Animal Rights 2003 West
will be held between August 1-6 at the Westin - LAX Hotel in Los Angeles.
Nearly 1,000 people are expected at each event.

Please visit www.animalrights2003.org for details and registration. To arrange an exhibit,
e-mail exhibits@animalrights2003.org. Send a blank e-mail to
AR2003-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to join the AR2003 discussion group.
The group is designed to improve the quality of the conferences and
to provide inquiries on topics not adequately addressed on the website.

The program will include plenary sessions,
workshops, 'rap' sessions, campaign reports, videos, and exhibits,
as well as Newcomer Orientation, planning meetings, group workouts,
Employment Clearinghouse, networking receptions, and Awards Banquet.
A number of post-conference activities are scheduled for July 2 in DC and August 6 in LA.

Be there for the animals, and do bring your friends!
Alex Hershaft, National Chair, Animal Rights 2003
Thank you for your support of the greatest Meatout observance ever.
Sign up at www.animalrights2003.org today, before the rates go up!